Secrets
by bloodsucking-llama
Summary: Rumor gets out that Malfoy likes Harry... the two are trapped inside the dreaded infirmary of Madam Pomfrey... H/D slash... R&R please
1. The Gaily Gossip

The Gaily Gossip  
  
  
Harry tiredly slid open the compartment door and plopped down beside the window. Ron walked in after him and threw himself down next to Harry. Ron stretched out and rested his head down beside Harry.   
  
"Where'd you 'spect Hermione is?" Ron muttered sleepily.   
  
"I dunno," Harry said in an equally tired voice as Ron's.  
  
Ron groaned and rubbed the dark lines underneath his eyes. "I hate Ginny."  
  
Harry, as tired as he was, couldn't help but laugh until he gripped a stitch in his side. He looked down at Ron's hard glare. "Oh, come on, Ron... You have to admit, that was pretty funny."  
  
"Oh, what, and you're going to say that you don't hate George and Fred now?"   
  
Harry shrugged and laid his head back against the compartment wall.   
  
The next second, laughter was heard and the compartment door slid open. Ron growled as Ginny and Hermione entered, laughing heartily.   
  
"You really did that to Ron?" Hermione asked Ginny, completely ignoring the two boys as she sat down. Ginny sat down next to her, nodding her head.  
  
"Yup, and guess what George and Fred did to Harry?"  
  
"What?" Hermione asked eagerly.  
  
"They turned him green!"  
  
Harry blushed heavily as Hermione's jaw fell open, though the corners of her mouth were twitching upward.  
  
"He was up all night trying to make himself turn back to normal! Ron would've helped, but he was too busy trying to get the spiders out of his hair!"  
  
Hermione and Ginny went into laughter they weren't able to get out of.   
  
"But really, I think Harry should've left himself alone," Ginny gasped after a while. "It matched his eyes!"   
  
Ginny and Hermione started laughing all over again.  
  
"When you're finished!" Ron yelled angrily over the two girls.  
  
Their laughter only hardened. Finally, after about ten minutes of non stop laughter, Hermione and Ginny started talking about boys with a few random giggles and snorts.   
  
"Jesus," Ron muttered. "Can't you take your dumb talk someplace else?"   
  
"What, jealous?" Ginny asked with a small smirk. She glanced knowingly at the oblivious Hermione in a playful, yet dangerous way.  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes. "Out."  
  
"You can't make me," Ginny said, sticking out her tongue. Ron rolled his eyes and looked at Harry for help. Harry was too busy staring out of the window, though. Ron was wondering whether Harry was about to fall asleep when the compartment door slid open once again.  
  
"Is it true?" Seamus asked instantly from the entrance. "Were you green, Harry? And did spiders start crawling out of your mouth and hair, Ron?"  
  
Ron turned to Ginny with a hard glare. "How many people did you tell?!"  
  
"Hermione... and a few others..." Ginny said sheepishly.  
  
"So it's true!" Seamus said with a laugh. Then when Ron's glare turned to him, he stopped himself and cleared his throat. "That's truly horrible, Ginny, how could you do something like that?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes with a small smile.   
  
"Can't we talk about something else?" Ron said, and then he quickly added, "And nothing to do with boys - or books," casting a knowing look at Hermione.   
  
Seamus sat down next to the outstretched Ron. "Fine. Did you hear about Japan winning the Quidditch finals this year?"  
  
Ginny and Hermione sent dark looks at the boys, two of which were suddenly very alive. But they ignored Ginny and Hermione as they continued talking non-stop about Quidditch. So the two girls, knowing they wouldn't be missed, stood up and left.   
  
They walked down the train, peeking inside every compartment in search of Lavender, Parvati, and Padma. They finally found them in one of the first compartments and sat down next to them, happily telling the story of what happened last night. The Parvati and Lavender then told their share of gossip, and then it was finally Padma's turn.  
  
"You'll never believe this, but..." she started calmly.  
  
"What is it?" Lavender asked impatiently.  
  
Padma smirked slightly. She was obvious enjoying torturing the other girls. "Don't blame me if this isn't true... I heard this from another Ravenclaw student that will remain unknown."  
  
"Go on!" Ginny said.  
  
"Okay... Draco Malfoy..."  
  
"What about him?" Hermione asked with a frown.  
  
"Oh, come on, Padma! You wouldn't even tell me this morning! What is so important?" Parvati said in annoyance.  
  
Padma sighed, though she was still smirking. "Okay, all right... Draco Malfoy is... is..."  
  
The girls all leaned in, with wide eyes.  
  
"Gay."  
  
Their jaws dropped to the ground. They just stared at Padma for a few seconds before Hermione closed her mouth and collected herself together quickly. With furrowed eyebrows, she asked:  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me," Padma said with a grin. "He's gay. Not the happy gay, but gay, as in he likes watching men's asses."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened all the more as she just continued staring at her, but Parvati and Lavender collected themselves together at this moment.  
  
"That can't be true! That dumb brute, gay?" Lavender said with crossed arms. "Aren't gays supposed to be nice and loving, and aren't they supposed to like fluffy bunnies or something?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know?" Padma said with a shrug. "The Ravenclaw that told me this says he heard it from someone else, who heard it from someone else, and so on. And now I am asking you to spread the word with quietness and secretively tell only one person at a time. Really, I bent the rules slightly by telling you four at once, but really, it doesn't matter that much. Just make sure the persons you tell don't know that I told you, or the line of tellers will become unraveled, and each of them will be pounded into the ground by Slytherins. You know how Slytherins can be with their fellow students, so protective, but who's going to protect me when I'm being thrown out of the astronomy tower? No one. So don't say you heard it from me!"  
  
The girls nodded with understanding, Ginny finally recovering from the shock.  
  
"The first one I'm telling is Katie," Lavender said. She stood up and left quickly with a huge grin on.  
  
"Come on," Parvati said to Padma "Lets continue to spread the word!"  
  
The two twins left, leaving Ginny and Hermione alone in the room. The two slowly turned to each other. Their mouths slowly dropped, their mouths twitching up into huge grins.  
  
"This is-"  
  
"Unbelievable," Hermione finished for Ginny.  
  
The two girls jumped up and ran back to the compartment with the boys. They slid the compartment door open so quickly and hard that it shattered.   
  
The boys looked up with raised eyebrows. Neville had joined them at some point. Hermione grabbed her wand from her pocket and corrected the shattered glass, then spun around to the boys with a huge grin on her face. Ginny had an identical grin on her face as she bounced up and down on her toes and heels.  
  
"What is it?" Ron asked.  
  
"Guess!" Ginny said, her grin growing. She pointed at Seamus.  
  
"Um... Classes have been canceled?"  
  
The two girls shook their heads and Hermione pointed at Neville.  
  
"I don't know," Neville said quietly. "The Slytherins have been kicked out of Hogwarts?"  
  
The two girls, once again, shook their heads and Ginny pointed at Ron.  
  
"Snape is dead?" he asked.  
  
The two girls shook their heads and pointed at Harry.  
  
Harry shrugged and yawned sleepily. "Quidditch is now an official class and it has taken over Hogwarts?"  
  
The two girls shook their heads, their grins growing huger by the second.  
  
"What is it?" Ron asked impatiently.  
  
Ginny burst it out so quickly that it was impossible to understand her, but Hermione took a deep breath and said it more slowly.  
  
"Draco Malfoy is gay."  
  
Harry's glasses slipped off his nose and fell to the ground; he didn't seem to notice as he gaped at the two girls. Ron's eyes nearly popped out of head. Seamus burst out laughing. Neville sat there in quiet shock. Their reactions were exactly what Hermione and Ginny expected.   
  
Ron then joined in Seamus's laughter, who was joined by Harry, and a nervous laugh from Neville had been pitched in. The students continued with the gossip, though Ginny and Hermione refused to tell them who had told them this little secret.   
  
What all of them wanted to know was who had started this chain, and how that person had found out. Neville became even more quiet, but no one except for Ginny seemed to notice. When they had run out of ideas of who it was and how they found out, Ginny suggested that Neville put in a few ideas.  
  
They all stared expectantly at Neville.   
  
"Well... Um..."  
  
"It was you, wasn't it!?" Ginny demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Neville. The other four had no idea what Ginny was talking about, Neville's cheeks went sweltering hot as he blushed.  
  
"I didn't mean to! I was walking in Diagon Alley with my grandma when she went to Gringotts to get my money since she said I might loose it on my way back! While I was waiting, I saw you, Harry! You were going over to that ice cream place, and it seemed you were waiting for someone, and then I saw that Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle come from the Quidditch store, and I panicked! I didn't want to be seen by them, they would bully me, so I hid in an alley, but they only walked towards me! Then I heard Goyle ask Malfoy if he still liked you, and I couldn't help but listen-"  
  
"Wait!" Ron yelled. "Repeat the last thing you said!"  
  
"I couldn't help but listen-"  
  
"No, no, before that!"  
  
"Well, I heard Goyle ask Malfoy if he still liked Harry..."  
  
All heads whirled around and stared at Harry. Harry sat there, staring blankly at Neville. He didn't know what to say, feel, or think. The words just echoed around in his mind.  
  
"Not like, like like-like!" Neville said before any of them could keel over hurling. "Just..."  
  
"Attracted like?" Hermione asked, turning to him.  
  
Neville nodded.  
  
"And you're the one that started this?" Seamus asked incredulously.   
  
"I couldn't help but instantly tell the first person I saw - that is, besides you three... I was hoping that the information would never get to you, Harry, and I never thought it really would, because I told Dean to keep it a secret! I didn't know how you would react..."  
  
It was silent for a while before Ron spoke up. "Wake me up when it's time to put on our robes."  
  
"How typical of you!" Hermione said angrily. "You just find out that our worst enemy is attracted to Harry, and you decide to go to sleep!"  
  
"No, it's all right," Harry said with a yawn. "I'd like to go to sleep too."  
  
"Fine," Hermione said huffily.   
  
"I have to go talk to Dean," Seamus said. "I want to know why he didn't tell me about this," and he was gone.  
  
"I have to go hide now," Neville said quietly. He stood up to leave, but Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'll come with you," she said, casting an apologetic look at Hermione, who merely nodded with a small smile. Ginny smiled back at Hermione as she led Neville outside.  
  
Hermione looked down at Ron and Harry, both of whom were all ready starting to drift away into dreamland, or rather, nightmare land. She sat down across from the two and wondered what they both thought about this. She looked down at the glasses lying on the floor in front of Harry, got out her wand lazily, cast a small spell, and made the glasses fly up onto the table. 


	2. The Sickly Secret Is Out

The Sickly Secret Is Out  
  
  
  
It seemed that the twins and Lavender had in deed done their part, because the regular talks and shouts were instead whispers. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped off of their horseless carriage, and they caught traces of the whispers as they walked along towards the front steps.  
  
They tried not to laugh at some of the things they overheard, and at the same time, they tried not to turn around and stare at the talkers in disgust. They finally reached the front steps through the crowds and walked into the main hall.   
  
"I'm not going past that table," Ron whispered to Hermione and Harry as they came to the large doors.   
"You'll have to if you want to join the Gryffindor table," Hermione said impatiently.  
  
"But what about Harry?" Ron said, thinking up a fast excuse. "What if Malfoy reaches for his butt-"  
  
Harry grimaced and turned around to blush heavily.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Harry," Ron said quickly, "but it's only the truth!"  
  
"Don't be so ridiculous!" Hermione said.  
  
"What's the hold up?!" people started shouting from behind the three. Hermione blushed, open the doors, and shoved Ron and Harry inside. She gripped them by the arms and pulled them along past the Slytherin table, Ravenclaw table, Hufflepuff table, and when they finally came to the Gryffindor table, they sat down at the very end.   
  
"I can't believe so many people know," Hermione muttered as she leaned in closer to Harry and Ron.  
  
When the last of the students had piled in, the sorting began and ended, and finally, Dumbledore made his big speech, which ended it, "Eat like pigs!" making Professor McGonagall glare disapprovingly at him.  
  
Harry couldn't eat, though. Hermione, who had noticed this a while ago, reached across the table and felt his neck. "Oh, Harry! You have a temperature!"  
  
"The news is making me sick too," Ron said, swallowing his meat pie with difficulty.   
  
"Hush!" Hermione said, looking around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "What we don't need is for someone to find out exactly who Malfoy likes!"  
  
"Oh, calm down," Ron said as he reached for another meat pie. "No one will find out."  
"You're kidding," someone said excitedly from behind the three. "You know who Malfoy likes?!"  
  
It was Colin Creevy and Denis Creevy.   
  
"It's probably Harry," Colin said, turning energetically to Denis. "Everyone likes Harry! There's no reason why even his enemy shouldn't be attracted to him!"  
  
The Gryffindor table came over a sudden hush and they turned to stare at Colin and Denis.  
  
"It's true!" Denis squeaked. "I bet Malfoy really does like Harry!"  
  
"No, no, hush!" Hermione said, waving her arms around wildly. Ron started chocking on his meat pie, and Harry sunk beneath the table in humiliation.  
  
The whispers started again. As Harry sat underneath the table, he could literally hear the news spread from the Gryffindor table to the Hufflepuff table, which had just suddenly become quiet too. It was a matter of time before the Ravenclaws knew, and then the Slytherins... Malfoy would know Harry knew! That would be bad, very bad! Not just for Malfoy, but for Neville also! Oh, what the hell, what about Harry himself? He could all ready hear it: "Who's going to be wearing the dress, Harry?"   
  
Ron, who seemed to have recovered from his meat pie trauma, had peeked under the table. "Get out of here!" he advised. "Go into the halls and wait for us there!"  
  
Hermione peeked under the table at the moment. "No, stay! You'll get in trouble!"  
  
Ron turned and glared at Hermione. "Do you really want piled upon piles of people to tackle the poor boy and demand whether Harry was gay too and whether they were getting married?"  
  
Hermione couldn't back herself up, because at that second, someone had asked loudly, "Wait, is Harry gay too?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Fine. But if you get detention, it's not my fault, not my fault at all."   
  
Harry was both shocked and upset at how fast gossip was spreading. As he crawled carefully underneath the table, he could hear each person tell the person next to he or she, and their comment.  
  
"Malfoy likes Harry! Pass it on!"   
  
"Oh my God."  
  
"Oh my God is right! Now pass it on!"  
  
Harry, carefully avoiding the many pairs of legs, crawled to the other end of the table. He crossed the small gap from Gryffindor to Hufflepuff, and he started to carefully avoid the legs again. He apparently wasn't careful enough, however, because he trotted over someone's foot.   
  
"Ouch!" the girl cried, looking underneath the table.  
  
Harry quickly put a finger up to signal to be quiet. The girl's eyes widened, and then narrowed, and mouthed, "Why?"  
  
Harry mouthed back, "Please, just be quiet... You'll find out soon enough..."  
  
The girl nodded then looked up from underneath the table. As Harry began crawling away, he heard, "What was that, Amelia?"  
  
Harry supposed the girl shrugged, because he didn't hear her answer.   
  
Finally, Harry reached the very end of the Hufflepuff table, which was closer to the Hall's doors. He took a deep breath, then leapt from underneath the table, making the people at the end cry out in surprise. Harry opened the doors without a backwards glance to see if the teachers were angry, surprised, or angry and surprised.  
  
Harry opened the two doors, slammed them shut, and sprinted through the halls.  
  
He slowed down on his way to Gryffindor Tower, not only because he was tired, but also because he needed the password. What was he going to do? Not only was he stranded in the hallways until a Gryffindor Prefect could come along, but he was positive that the Prefect would have Gryffindor students following along behind him. That meant questions among questions and jeers among jeers. Harry was also starting to feel a little more sick.  
  
He felt his neck like Hermione had done. She was right, he had a fever.   
  
"Perfect," he muttered. He leaned against the wall and slid down into a sitting position. Not that he was supposed to wonder - it was because he was bored - but... How was Malfoy taking all of this? Besides anger and humiliation, was he feeling relieved that it was off his chest? Was he wondering what Harry was wondering? Had he fled from the Main Hall as well? Was he someplace down in the cold dungeons, sitting up against the wall as Harry was doing?  
  
"Potter," a simple word interrupted Harry's thoughts. Harry jumped and looked up into one of the last people he wanted to see - Professor McGonagall.   
  
"I - I-"  
  
"You've received detention," McGonagall said in irritation. She crossed her arms. "What has gotten into you, Potter? Leaving the Main Hall like that!"  
  
"I - well, I-"   
  
"Honestly," McGonagall said, her shocked expression becoming into a dark, mean stare. "You must be out of your mind!"  
  
"I feel sick," Harry said, thinking quickly.  
  
Professor McGonagall bent over and felt Harry's forehead. "You do seem warm... Since it's your first day back at Hogwarts, I'm feeling generous, and you have a fever, you will not receive detention. Now hurry, come with me to the infirmary. I don't want your fever to grow anymore than it all ready has."  
  
Harry reluctantly jogged behind Professor McGonagall, who was striding quickly along to the infirmary. Finally, they came to the halls with Hogwart's past nurses in paintings, and Professor McGonagall opened the infirmary door.  
  
The first thing Harry noticed was that Madam Pomfrey was bending over a student in the middle of the room. The student was sitting down in a hard, wooden chair, so Harry couldn't see who the student was until Madam Pomfrey moved -   
  
Draco Malfoy?!  
  
The very last person Harry wanted to see. Malfoy was staring out of the window, and he seemed flushed. Malfoy didn't even glance to see who had walked in. It was like he was in a trance.  
  
"Oh, not another one," Madam Pomfrey said, turning to Harry and Professor McGonagall. "Two in one night, this definitely means that a bug is spreading. I bet it was those meat pies that was at the dinner table! The meat was Bulgarian, and Bulgarian meat pies don't suit the English very well!"  
  
While she was saying this, she had grabbed Harry and said an order to a hard wooden chair in a corner, which had suddenly started walking. It stopped next to Malfoy, and Madam Pomfrey forced Harry down into the chair. She took the wand out of Malfoy's mouth, gave it a small twirl, and red sparks fired out.  
  
"Oh, goodness!" she said. "You are definitely staying here overnight, Mr. Malfoy!"  
  
"Is it really that bad, Poppy?" Professor McGonagall said, putting her hands onto her hips with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, it is," Madam Pomfrey said busily. She took out a second wand and popped that one into Harry's mouth. She bustled up to Professor McGonagall, and the two started talking in low voices. Harry, a natural eavesdropper, picked up a few words they were saying.  
  
"Yes... Afraid so... Dangerous... Highly contagious... Mr. Malfoy will be staying... Mr. Potter might have it... To think, the Boy Who Lived, being killed off by a disease... Horrible, rather horrible..."  
  
Harry had a sinking feeling in his gut.   
  
'Please, don't let it be red,' he thought as Madam Pomfrey came over, popped the wand out of Harry's mouth, and gave it a little twirl. Red. Dear God. Not only did this mean that Harry had whatever highly contagious disease Malfoy had, but this meant that he'd be staying in the infirmary too! Alone! With Malfoy!  
  
"Oh, goodness, it seems you have the bug as well," Madam Pomfrey said. "Poor boy," Madam Pomfrey added, talking about Malfoy. "You need rest... You haven't even eaten anything."  
  
It then occurred to Harry that Malfoy must've come here immediately after the train ride. He didn't have time to ponder this, however, because Madam Pomfrey was suddenly ripping off his shirt. Harry blushed heavily as the cold hit him like a sack of bricks. Madam Pomfrey then turned to Malfoy and took off his shirt as well.  
  
Harry didn't know why, but he looked away.   
  
"You'll need to burn those, Poppy," Professor McGonagall advised.  
  
"Yes, in need," Madam Pomfrey said, throwing the two shirts into a pile.   
  
"I'll be coming back up to check on them," Professor McGonagall said as she turned on her heel and headed for the door. "And goodness, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, don't quarrel. Both of you need your rest," she added. She closed the door behind her.  
  
Harry shivered and glanced at Malfoy. Malfoy was still staring blankly out of the window.   
  
"Come now," Madam Pomfrey said. She grabbed both boys by their arms and pulled them into standing position. "Come, you must sleep."  
  
She pulled them to their beds and made sure they were tucked in tightly; she made Harry take off his glasses. After Madam Pomfrey had turned off the lights, left the main infirmary, and had left to her own office, Harry put on his glasses and turned on his side to face Malfoy.   
  
"Malfoy!" he whispered.  
  
Malfoy snapped out of the trance and looked at Harry as if he was only now seeing him. "What do you want?" he muttered.   
  
"Jeez, just asking why you're here," Harry  
  
"It's none of your business," Malfoy muttered back.  
  
"It is so!" Harry shot back. "I have whatever you have, and I don't know what it is-"  
  
"Is that talking I hear?!" Madam Pomfrey yelled from her office.  
  
"Old bat," Harry muttered more quietly.   
  
"Shut up," Malfoy whispered. He rolled over onto his side so his pale back was facing Harry.  
  
Harry wanted so badly to ask Malfoy if it was true - if all of this gossip was false, if maybe, just maybe Neville had panicked just a little too much and misunderstood what Goyle had said...  
  
"Why are you watching me?" Malfoy muttered in annoyance.  
  
Harry jumped and blinked. "What are you talking about?" he asked, averting his eyes away.  
  
Malfoy rolled over and glared at Harry so that his ice blue eyes flickered. "I know you were watching me. Don't even pretend you weren't."  
  
Harry blushed slightly. He then heard the bustling sound that alerted Madam Pomfrey's return. He quickly rolled over.  
  
"I knew it," she said, standing over Harry. "You two shouldn't even pretend you're sleeping. Mr. Potter here is giving it away with evidence."  
  
Harry blushed as he realized his glasses were still on. He could hear Malfoy's muffled and evil, cold laughter. Harry received a nice, long scolding, and Madam Pomfrey practically ripped his glasses off of his face and rested it on his nightstand.  
  
"It's sleep you need, sleep! Both of you! Stop laughing, Mr. Malfoy! You two are absolutely impossible! Always fighting, childish behavior, really! Now sleep, or I'll refuse to ever let visitors come in here!"  
  
Malfoy shut up nearly immediately. Harry had stiffened. Madam Pomfrey was saying that he'd have to stay here only a night, but everyone knew she over did it. He would probably end up doing all of his school work in the infirmary for a month. And with Malfoy as his only company... He wouldn't ever be able to survive, especially without Ron's sarcastic jokes and Hermione's long lectures.  
  
So when he heard Madam Pomfrey's door close again, he laid there in silence. It seemed that Malfoy felt the same way, and couldn't imagine a month without Goyle and Crabbe, or any other Slytherins for that matter. 


	3. The Entertaining Escape, Part I: The War...

The Entertaining Escape, Part I: The Wary Warning  
  
  
"Shut up, Potter!"  
  
Harry was startled out of a deep sleep. It was still nighttime, but he could see by the navy blue sky that it was almost time to wake up anyways. He then realized what had waken him up. He glared at Malfoy.  
  
"What's your problem? I was trying to sleep!"  
  
"Yelling was more like it! Yelling on and on about some stupid book trying to eat you!" Malfoy sat up and ran his fingers through his silvery blond hair. "I can't take this anymore."  
  
"You'd better shut up yourself before Madam Pomfrey comes in here. Imagine the rest of the day with no visitors."  
  
Malfoy threw a glance at Harry, who was currently searching around his nightstand for his glasses. When he found them and put them on, it was almost as if the glasses had the ability to give Harry the correct temperature as well as correct his eyesight.  
  
"It's freezing!" Harry yelped. He pulled the covers over his head as he shivered.  
  
"Don't be such a prat, of course it's freezing," Malfoy muttered. "It took you long enough to realize it too."  
  
"Shut up," Harry's muffled voice came from underneath the sheets. "Damn, I have to get out of here."  
  
"Not until you get blue sparks."  
  
"And how should you know that?" Harry asked, trying to pry information out of Malfoy about the disease.  
  
"Shut up and go back to sleep."  
  
Harry growled slightly. "How am I supposed to fall asleep now?"  
  
"Easy. Close your eyes and count backwards."  
  
It took Harry a second to realize that Malfoy hadn't given him a sarcastic remark, and that he was actually being helpful. No sooner had these thoughts crossed Harry's mind did Malfoy start talking again.  
  
"It would help both of us. I'd get some quiet since you'd be asleep, and you get to give yourself a reminder counting lesson."  
  
Harry couldn't help himself. He picked up his pillow and hurled it at Malfoy, who simply caught it and put it down on top of his own pillow. "Thanks."  
  
Harry groaned in rage and annoyance before sheltering himself back underneath the sheets. It seemed that the noise had finally awaken Madam Pomfrey from her sleep and she emerged from her office sleepily.  
  
"What are you two doing awake?" she asked. She switched on the lights. "Honestly, you two... Well, you might as well go back to sleep, because there's nothing else to do."  
  
Harry groaned again. "Can't I leave? I feel much better, really I do."  
  
"Just because you feel better, Mr. Potter, doesn't mean you are better," Madam Pomfrey said busily. She pulled off Harry and Malfoy's sheets, threw them into a pile as she had yesterday with the shirts, and walked back into her office.  
  
Harry just gaped after her. "Can't I at least have my shirt back?" he muttered to himself.  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes and climbed out of bed.   
  
"Where are you going?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"Is there anywhere to go?" Malfoy said sarcastically as he bent over and touched his toes. Harry had no idea he was so flexible as he watched Malfoy turn his back to Harry and stretch his arms and his legs. He then expressed his double jointed-ability and popped out his shoulder blades.   
  
"Can you please not do that?" Harry muttered in disgust. He thought that being double jointed would be cool, but not if people started popping out their shoulder blades.   
  
"Why were you watching anyways?" Malfoy replied as he popped them back into place. He yawned and combed his morning hair with his fingers.  
  
"As if there's anything else to do," Harry said. He looked out of the window to see the sun start to rise. "I'm missing Charms," Harry sighed.  
  
Malfoy didn't reply aloud as he sat back down on his bed. Harry couldn't help but glance at Malfoy, who seemed to go slack again. Madam Pomfrey bustled back in and she gasped. "No, no, Mr. Malfoy, please, do snap out of it!"  
  
Malfoy tensed and looked around.  
  
"You need rest, both of you!"  
  
Harry couldn't stop the flow of complaints that went from his mouth. It was worst than being stuck with the Dursleys! All right, being stuck in the infirmary wasn't that bad, but it was still really boring!  
  
"Then talk! Gossip as you little children do all of the time! Are you not in the same years?"  
  
Harry nodded, and then he suddenly felt very tired. Yesterday's happenings hit him. He looked at Malfoy, who was staring out of the window. Malfoy... was attracted to him... And... Well, at least Malfoy was having a good time. He was probably staring at Harry all last night. But really, Harry shouldn't be talking.  
  
Harry looked away quickly, vowing to himself that it would be the last time he looked at Malfoy unless he was talking to him.   
  
"Madam Pomfrey, may I have my shirt at least?"  
  
"No," Madam Pomfrey said. "It's better if the cold wind hit you full force. You'll feel much better if it's that way."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Mr. Malfoy will explain," Madam Pomfrey said as she began to leave the infirmary. "But please, if it does get too cold, there are shirts in the closet, but only if it gets too cold!" and she left the infirmary all together.   
  
"God, I can't stand this!" Harry yelled. "Kill me, somebody!"  
  
"You don't want that," Malfoy said. "You should at least allow You-Know-Who to have fun with you."  
  
"You mean your master?" Harry growled.  
  
Malfoy stood up in anger and glared at Harry, but he didn't answer. He couldn't have answered anyways, because the next moment the door burst open, and the very next second Hermione was hanging on him. Ron was throwing a fit and was going on and on about Malfoy raping Harry.  
  
"What are you talking about?" both Harry and Malfoy asked incredulously.  
  
"Everyone knows that you like-" Ron started at Malfoy, but Harry leapt on him with Hermione still hanging around his neck, which resulted in the three falling to the ground. He covered Ron's mouth and muttered hastily in his ear that Malfoy didn't know Harry knew yet - he had been in the infirmary all night yesterday.  
  
"But then he knows that we know he's gay," Ron muttered as he stood up.  
  
"Not exactly," Hermione said, standing up as well. "It was only until we were at Hogwarts did many of the people find out about it."  
  
Malfoy had surely heard Hermione, but he didn't seem to be curious at all, or even care. Ron and Hermione continued talking with Harry about everything that had happened after he ran from the hall - about Snape throwing at fit and McGonagall going after Harry, and then the rumor spreading that Malfoy was also in the infirmary and he had raped Harry.  
  
Harry couldn't help but laugh. The idea seemed so idiotic, especially since Malfoy had barely even spoken to Harry all night. Still, Hermione expressed her feelings very clearly.  
  
"This doesn't mean he won't try to hurt you," she whispered worriedly to Harry.  
  
"No, honestly," Harry whispered back. "He won't touch me, I swear."  
  
"Are you sure?" Ron muttered, "Because I can always throw him out of the window if you need me to..."  
  
"No, it's okay," Harry muttered. Madam Pomfrey came back at that moment and rushed Hermione and Ron away, yelling after them that they were very late for classes. Before Hermione had left, however, she did some thinking and mouthed, "Pumpkin," to Harry, and it took him a while to realize that it must be the Gryffindor password.   
  
Harry laid back down in gratitude, and Malfoy in boredom. And so the two boys were thrown back into silence. Finally, Malfoy broke it.  
  
"I've been thinking, Potter, that if we're going to survive Madam Pomfrey and her dumb infirmary we're going to just have to work together."  
  
Harry hated Malfoy, true, but he couldn't help but perk up slightly. "What are you saying?"  
  
"That we at least try to escape."  
  
"What about the disease?"  
  
Malfoy laughed. "The disease is a flu. What you were hearing Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall say last night was about a disease that's going around in the area that you live. They were worried that that was the problem you had, but if that was the problem, your skin would be turning blue right about now."  
  
Harry was suddenly relieved. He rolled over and looked at Malfoy. "So what's the plan?"  
  
"You do know that this is only for amusement and that we'll be caught," Malfoy said.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"You do know that as soon as our flu completely leaves our systems we'll be sent to detention."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"You do know that I'll still hate your guts down to the ground, you great prat."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Then lets go," Malfoy said, jumping out of bed and walked over to the closet. He pulled on a shirt and tossed another one to Harry, who caught it and pulled it on. Malfoy then left the infirmary, and Harry jumped out after him and together they left the infirmary and stole down the corridors. Harry realized at that moment that they would be much better off either back in the infirmary or with two of his most prized objects - his invisibility cloak and The Marauder's Map.   
  
"Come to Gryffindor with me," Harry said.  
  
"What? Why?" Malfoy muttered as he looked around the corner. "You don't even know the password."  
  
"I do too," Harry said. "Come on." 


	4. The Entertaining Escape, Part II: Sleepi...

The Entertaining Escape, Part II: Sleeping Beauty  
  
  
  
Malfoy followed Harry up to the towers, but Harry stopped in a corridor away from The Fat Lady, eyeing Malfoy suspiciously.  
  
"Why would I go into Gryffindor Tower?" Malfoy asked, practically reading Harry's mind.  
  
"Steal my things-"  
  
"I don't want your dumb broom or books," Malfoy muttered in annoyance.  
  
"Steal other people's things!"  
  
"If I wanted their things, I'd just go to my mum and dad and they'd buy it for me."  
  
Malfoy had a point. Really, what would he do in Gryffindor?   
  
"I won't destroy anything," Malfoy muttered in annoyance again. "We have our own little games in Slytherin, and right now, I'm sick of destroying things."  
  
Harry eyed Malfoy again before nodding his head towards The Fat Lady.  
  
She gasped. "A Slytherin!"  
  
"It's okay, I trust him," Harry said, casting a doubtful and suspicious glance at Malfoy. "Pumpkin." The Fat Lady was angry and flustered, but she still had her job to do. She swung open the portrait, revealing the hole. Harry allowed Malfoy to go in first.  
  
Harry was curious to what Malfoy's expression of Gryffindor tower was, but he didn't look at him, as he suddenly remembered his vow to himself not to look at Malfoy.   
  
Harry quickly went upstairs, activated the map, and came back down with it in his pocket and with his cloak underneath his arm. He quickly explained to Malfoy what they were, and ignored him from that point on. He didn't ignore one specific question from Malfoy as they started to leave, however.  
  
"Where's that broom of yours?"  
  
"Upstairs," Harry said, glancing at Malfoy.  
  
"I thought we were going to fly around," Malfoy said in that brat annoyance.  
  
"We would barely have any time!" Harry said.  
  
"I thought the point was to get caught," Malfoy said.  
  
"But you will be, of course, wanting to go first," Harry glared.  
  
Malfoy smirked and shrugged.  
  
"So then I won't get a turn because we'll get caught easily!"  
  
"Then we'll just go on together."  
  
Malfoy left the Gryffindor common room casually, and it was only when Malfoy had left it completely did Harry react. The memories of finding out that Malfoy was attracted to him, that he was gay... Ron would instantly have said the obvious: he was taking advantage of Harry.  
  
But what about that ride? Who cared if Malfoy would be taking advantage of Harry? Certainly not him... All he wanted was to ride through the sky. Honestly, he did! Harry shook his head, ran upstairs, received the broom, ran back downstairs, and jumped out of the portrait hole out after Malfoy. He finally caught up with Malfoy (with the map's help) by the library. Malfoy was hiding behind a gargoyle statue.  
  
"Finally caught up, did you?"  
  
Harry ignored Malfoy's comment, threw the invisibility cloak over both of them, and watched the map. His breath caught in his throat. Snape was walking this way! Harry signaled to Malfoy to be quiet, and when Snape finally walked past them, the two walked down the corridors.   
  
Harry kept getting nervous. Malfoy kept brushing up against him. Whether it was by accident or not, he didn't know, and really, he didn't mind that much, but... The warnings that came out of Hermione and Ron's mouths earlier that morning kept popping up in his mind. Maybe the broom ride was a bad idea.  
  
Too late, they had just walked out into the field. They walked into the center of the field and Malfoy ripped the cloak off of himself and Harry. He looked flushed again, Harry noted. Malfoy looked up and smirked as he caught Harry watching at him.  
  
"Seems we both have fevers again," Malfoy muttered. "Pomfrey is going to be pissed."  
  
Harry nodded in agreement, but it was too late to go back now. He cleared the map, tucked it underneath the cloak, and jumped onto the broom. Malfoy climbed up onto the broom after Harry, and before Harry could stop himself and rethink his words, he said, "Hold on tight."  
  
Malfoy only naturally obeyed, and Harry wasn't sure if it wasn't only for his safety. But whatever, all Harry wanted to do was fly at that moment, and it seemed Malfoy was thinking the same way, because he kicked off for Harry.   
  
The feeling of air rushing in Harry's ears swept over, and Harry had nearly forgotten Malfoy was there until he felt Malfoy's grip around his waist tighten.   
  
"Jeez, we were only here for five minutes and we've all ready been caught," he muttered into Harry's ear. Harry looked down to see Professor McGonagall glaring up at the two from the front steps of the castle with a small girl standing next to her, which he supposed was the tattletale. Harry had half the mind just to fly off into the forest, but it was better to face his fears right away.  
  
Besides, he was starting to feel the fever, and it must've been the same for Malfoy, because his grip was tightening around Harry's waist all the more and Harry could feel through the cloth of his shirt that Malfoy was getting warmer and warmer.   
  
"You're getting hot, Potter," Malfoy muttered drowsily. He seemed to be a level ahead of Harry, because Harry didn't feel sleepy yet.  
  
"You do too," Harry replied as they landed. He gathered his things and carefully hid the map in his pocket, while Malfoy took the cloak and hid it underneath his shirt. The two boys walked up to the tiny girl and Professor McGonagall.  
  
"First of all," Professor McGonagall said angrily. "You're supposed to be in the infirmary! Why are you out here in the hot sun?! Look at you two, all sweaty and high with fever! Second of all, there is a well known rule that expresses that there is no public display of affection here at Hogwarts!"  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say public, Professor McGonagall," the tiny girl said with an evil grin. "They were trying to be private."  
  
Harry gaped at them in disbelief while Malfoy glared at the small girl. "Go off, Mary."  
  
"Where?" the girl asked in a mocking tone.  
  
"To hell, you little-" Malfoy hissed, but Professor McGonagall interrupted him.  
  
"That is quite enough, Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall said angrily. "Now please, you two, this way! It's quite fortunate that Ms. Eurydice here saw you two flying around, one of you could've fainted! You see, Mr. Malfoy? You're tired all ready!"  
  
Professor McGonagall led them away from Mary and towards the infirmary. "And I would think that you two would try to at least muffle the rumors! The whole wizard public is finding out slowly but surely, and what do you do? Go off flying together! Honestly! Not only were you breaking the rules, but you were giving those Daily Prophet journalists more reasons to question Professor Dumbledore on you, Harry! Have pride! Do you really want all of those rumors going around? And what about you, Mr. Malfoy? Aren't you at least a little upset about this?"  
  
Malfoy stumbled slightly; he was getting more tired by the second, and Professor McGonagall ended up dragging him slightly by his arm.   
  
Harry looked at Malfoy to see if this was all coming to a shock. Sure, the fact that the whole magical community was finding out about this was a shock, but what about finding out that everyone knew he was gay? But no, Malfoy didn't seem surprised at all. But then what about the whole thing with the public affection, and what about Malfoy's partner in crime with breaking this rule was supposedly Harry? Nope, not surprised at all.   
  
Professor McGonagall walked with them inside the infirmary where an angry Madam Pomfrey was standing. Two hard wooden chairs were waiting with two wands sitting on the surfaces. She forced Harry and Malfoy down into the chairs and shoved the wands into their mouths as she said the exact same lecture Professor McGonagall just had. The only difference was that Madam Pomfrey expressed the fact that their fevers had gone way up, further than yesterday. She insisted that they stayed another two days.  
  
Professor McGonagall left without informing them that they had received detention, but then again, they didn't need to hear it from her to know.  
  
"Why am I always in the middle of things?" Harry muttered to the ceiling as he laid down in bed.  
  
"Because you're The Boy Who Lived," Malfoy replied. For a second, Harry thought that the ceiling had replied (he wouldn't have been surprised), but then he saw that it was Malfoy.  
  
"I thought you said you would still hate my guts down to the ground," Harry said, turning his head to look at Malfoy.  
  
Malfoy was staring up at the ceiling. He was quiet for a while before replying, "I always have, and I always will, don't get me wrong... It's just that, well..."  
  
"The rumors, they're true, aren't they?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.  
  
Malfoy didn't look like he was going to reply, but it didn't matter anyways, because Madam Pomfrey screeched for them to be quiet and go to sleep from her office.  
  
"How can I?" Harry asked himself. "It's in the middle of the afternoon."  
  
Harry half expected Malfoy to reply again, but when he hadn't, Harry glanced at Malfoy and saw that he was fast asleep. Harry supposed that Malfoy had the worst of the flu. Harry chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stared at the Sleeping Beauty. Wait, Sleeping Beauty?! Where did that come from?  
  
Okay, so Harry had to admit, Malfoy was beautiful. Who wouldn't think that? That didn't mean he was gay, it was just a general thing. I mean, come on... The way his silvery blond hair caught the sunlight, the way his pale face was flushed slightly, and Harry could just imagine Malfoy's eyes open. That icy blue that just spent chills up his spine. It was safe to think this too, of course, because it was a general thing. girls and boys alike would think the same thing anytime.   
  
"I'm not gay," Harry repeated to himself in his mind as he rolled over.   
  
'Bi,' a part of his mind corrected him. 'Remember, you may like boys, but you have also liked girls in the past.'  
  
"I'm not gay, bi, whatever," Harry muttered to himself. He then realized that he was talking to himself again and shook his head. The fever was getting the better of him. He closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
"100, 99, 98, 97..." 


	5. Suspicious Spectators

Suspicious Spectators  
  
  
"Wake up, Harry!" someone yelled in Harry's ear. Harry jumped and rolled over. Ron was kneeling there, grinning at Harry, and Hermione and Ginny were standing behind Ron.  
  
"Sorry, was I talking aloud in my sleep again?" Harry yawned. He sat up and realized it was morning. He must've slept from all the way to afternoon and into the night. He was more tired that he realized.  
  
"Good one," Ron said, punching Harry's shoulder.  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"You don't talk in your sleep," Ron said absently.   
  
Harry blinked and turned to look at Malfoy. He jumped when he saw Crabbe and Goyle kneeling beside him and glaring for all they were worth at Harry and Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. The three were talking in low voices.   
  
"Speaking of talk, you won't believe what rumor the Ravenclaws have started!" Ginny said excitedly, catching Harry's attention. He looked at her and she continued with, "They say that you and Malfoy were flying around on your broom yesterday, doing a public display of affection and everything!"  
  
Ginny, Hermione, and Ron laughed, but when they realized that Harry wasn't laughing, they stopped. Each had a different expression: Hermione was, of course, worried, Ginny was confused, and Ron was incredulous.  
  
"I knew it! You're bi!"  
  
"What?" Harry yelled. When Crabbe told them to shut up, he repeated himself more quietly, "What?"  
  
"If you haven't noticed, I have!" Ron said. He stood up and crossed his arms, glaring down at Harry. "It's true, isn't it?"  
  
The little voice in the back of his head squeaked, 'Yes!', but Harry shoved the little voice down. "No, of course not! Honestly, I'm not! Malfoy and I were just bored out of our minds, and since we both like flying so much, we went flying!"  
  
"Then why on the same broom, and why at the same time?" Ginny asked in pure confusion. Hermione cast a worried glance at Harry.  
  
"Because there would be barely any time for both of us," he replied. "We got caught after five minutes!"  
  
"Then why the same broom?" Ron said suspiciously.  
  
Harry hesitated, but someone else answered for him.  
  
"We would get caught easily if we went down to the dungeons for my own broom, now shut up!" Malfoy yelled.   
  
"You shut up, you great prat!" Ron yelled.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle stood up, punching their huge fists into their huge hands angrily, but Malfoy put his hand out to signal that it was all right and he defended himself with:  
  
"Maybe you should buy some glue to stick your big, ugly lips down together! Oh, but wait, I would have to buy it since you don't have any money!"  
  
Hermione had to grab both Ginny and Ron, and since she was struggling, Harry had to grab onto Ron. "I have an idea, why don't we all shut up?" Harry suggested seriously. "Madam Pomfrey is going to start complaining about all of this noise and kick you guys out."  
  
Malfoy muttered something incoherently and he averted his attention back to his two best friends.  
  
Ron turned his glare to Harry. "And to think, you didn't even tell me."  
  
"Let it go, Ron," Hermione muttered. "We don't even know if Harry really is bi. Now come on, we have better things to talk about besides this."  
  
Harry mentally hugged Hermione and he sat down. Ron and Hermione sat down on either side of him while Ginny laid down on the carpet beside the bed with her legs up in the air. The four talked for an hour before Hermione gasped.  
  
"Oh, no! Ron, we have Potions in ten minutes!"  
  
Ginny jumped up, her eyes wild. "I'm ten minutes late for Care of Magical Creatures! Bye!" And with that, she rushed out of the door. Hermione and Ron said proper good byes to Harry and ran outside, and Harry laid back down in boredom again.   
  
Eventually, Crabbe and Goyle left as well in a rush to Defense Against The Dark Arts, leaving both of the two in the quiet and boring room once again.  
  
Harry looked at Malfoy, who was drifting off to sleep again. "You've got to be kidding! You can't still be sleepy!"  
  
Malfoy snapped out of it and looked at Harry. "Why shouldn't I be? Give me one good reason."  
  
"You've been asleep for about one day now, that's why!"  
  
"I'm tired," Malfoy said simply.  
  
Harry eyed Malfoy suspiciously. "Too tired."  
  
"Whatever," Malfoy said. "Doesn't matter now that you've woken me up," and he too stared at the ceiling.   
  
"We're better off back at the field," Harry said. The moment the words left his mouth was when he remembered Malfoy's tightening grip, Malfoy brushing up against him, Ron and Hermione's warnings, the whole school finding out about Malfoy being attracted to Harry, Neville saying his confession, the two girls bursting in and telling them that Malfoy was gay... And then a new thing he just figured out... It was kind of like when you're killing yourself trying to remember that certain singer's name, and then a few hours later, it just pops up into your mind... He realized at that moment that he was actually kind of... happy.   
  
Harry sighed. He was bi, wasn't he? The little voice in the back of his voice muttered, 'Duh, what have I been telling you the whole time?'  
  
Well, there was no point in hiding it from himself... But what about Ron and Hermione? Hermione would have no problem, but Ron seemed angry enough... And what about the other guys in the dorm room? They would probably be disgusted.  
  
"Shut up," Malfoy muttered.  
  
"I didn't say anything," Harry said, knowing for sure that he was speaking to himself in his mind. He continued staring up at she ceiling and continued thinking when Malfoy groaned and sat up.   
  
"I have to get out of here."  
  
"One detention is enough for me," Harry said simply.  
  
"Then can't I borrow that map thing and that cloak?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No one uses it unless it's an emergency."  
  
Malfoy was silent for a while before he muttered something incoherently. Madam Pomfrey then walked into the room with two small cauldrons filled with potion.  
  
"Medicine time! Too bad this stuff will knock you out instantly," she said, handing one to Harry and the other to Malfoy. Harry looked at Malfoy's and had to do a double take. His potion's color was red, thick, and slimy, while Harry's was bluish, clear, and looked more like water than anything else... Why would they have two different potions to drink if they both had the flu?  
  
Malfoy glanced up at Harry with a strange look on his face. Neither said anything, however, as Malfoy gulped down the potion and instantly fell back onto the bed. Harry looked down at his potion and decided that Malfoy knew something that Harry didn't, and whatever it was, Harry was planning on finding out. Harry gulped down his own potion and blackness swept over him. 


	6. The Secret of Secrets: Sleeping with Sle...

The Secret of Secrets: Sleeping with Sleeping Beauty  
  
  
Harry woke up with a splitting headache, and he thought he was still asleep because it was still dark, but then he realized that it was nighttime and his glasses were off. He put them on and when his eyes focused, he saw Malfoy standing by the window. Harry stared quietly at Malfoy, but Malfoy turned around and looked at Harry.  
  
Malfoy eyed Harry before saying, "It's about time... And you say I sleep too much."  
  
Malfoy turned around to look back outside of the window. Harry stood up and walked over to him. He took a deep breath and swallowed before resting a hand down on Malfoy's shoulder.  
  
"I know something's up."  
  
Malfoy, surprisingly, didn't shrug off Harry's hand. He merely continued staring down at the dark forest, the lands, and the lake. It was a while before he replied. "I know you know... And I mean a lot of things by that."  
  
"What else besides the obvious?"  
  
Malfoy seemed to be on the verge of just blurting it out, but then he caught himself. He was standing here, talking to his arch enemy as if they were best friends. Still, he didn't turn around to glare at Harry. He simply said, "And to think, the famous Harry Potter finally hasn't figured out a mystery."  
  
Harry didn't react with anger, but with question. He knew he was being way out of character, but for once, he honestly and seriously was worried about Malfoy. Not only that, but he was curious, very curious.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat," Malfoy muttered.  
  
Harry eyed Malfoy. He turned Malfoy around and bit his lip. "Just tell me."  
  
Malfoy shook his head.   
  
"And to think that you wouldn't even try to get on even terms with me," Harry said.   
  
"Telling me about the map, the cloak, and the password to Gryffindor tower is nothing compared to my secret."  
  
"So what, it's like the secret of secrets or something?" Harry said incredulously.   
  
Malfoy nodded solemnly, and Harry couldn't help but laugh, despite the situation. "Oh, come on, Malfoy... It can't be that serious."  
  
"It is."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm not telling you."  
  
Harry sighed in frustration and gave up. True, he was worried about the guy, but if he refused to tell him, it wasn't his fault. Harry was willing to just tell Malfoy that they could be friends, just until they were freed from this hell hole, of course, but friends nonetheless, and that would mean Malfoy could tell Harry anything, and Harry would protect those secrets with his life if it was that important to Malfoy.  
  
But what was Harry saying?  
  
Honestly, what was Harry saying? It seemed strange, stupid, idiotic, barbaric, and insane that Harry would even think about making such a deal with Draco Malfoy of all people. Yet wouldn't it be strange, stupid, idiotic, barbaric, and insane if Harry merely didn't pretend that Malfoy wasn't standing there with a huge problem?   
  
Yes, it would just be better if Harry at least tried to be friends with Malfoy, just for right now. Besides, he wasn't that bad when he didn't have an audience around to laugh at the jokes Malfoy made about Harry. Harry would simply ignore the past conflicts. He would never be able to survive even another night just lying there, staring at the ceiling.  
  
Yes, this was the right choice.  
  
Malfoy had looked up from the window and looked at Harry. He looked like he was about to say something, but he merely shook his head. The dark shadow suddenly reminded Harry about his first year when he was in the dark corridor. A flash of Snape and Quarrel in the corridors, Snape reaching out to touch Harry, Harry swearing that Snape can read minds -   
  
And that famous singer popped into his mind, the same one he was trying to remember hours ago. "You can read minds," he said quietly.  
  
Malfoy looked away before he looked back up at Harry and nodded, but then he added quickly, "I swear, I'll kill you if you tell a soul."  
  
Harry ignored the comment. "You mean to tell me you've been reading my mind the moment I walked into this room on the day back?!"  
  
"On the train, too," Malfoy said simply.   
  
Harry growled, but Malfoy put his hands up in defense. "Please don't even pretend that you wouldn't have read my mind if you had the chance."   
  
Harry was about to think something to himself, but then realized that he wouldn't even be safe that way. Instead, he asked, "So that has something to do with you being tired, huh?"  
  
Malfoy nodded. "It takes up way too much energy."  
  
"Who else knows?"  
  
"McGonagall, Dumbledore, Pomfrey, and Snape," Malfoy said. He put his hand on top of Harry's and took it off of his shoulder. "And since when have I qualified to being Sleeping Beauty?"  
  
Harry wasn't even slightly surprised, but he was angry. "You were supposed to be asleep."  
  
Malfoy shrugged. "And you were supposed to hate me."  
  
"You're supposed to hate me too."  
  
"Who said I didn't?" Malfoy said with a smirk. He glanced back out of the window and laid down on his bed. Harry followed him and sat down on the edge of his bed.   
  
"So tell me what Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were thinking."  
  
"Well, that Mud- Hermione," Malfoy started, quickly correcting himself, "knows that you're bi. The reason she looked so worried to you was because she was worried about how you would take the news, what with Ron finding out. She knew before even you knew," Malfoy said, quickly dismissing Harry's question. "Ron was angry, as you all ready know, and Ginny was excited; she's turning into quite the gossip queen."  
  
"Can't you control it?"  
  
Malfoy nodded, knowing Harry meant the... er... 'talent'. "But why waste a perfectly good gift?"  
  
"Well, turn your power off! I like to talk to myself in private, thanks!"  
  
Malfoy smirked slightly and nodded. Harry turned around and looked suspiciously at Malfoy, who was lying there innocently. What he wouldn't give anything to read Malfoy's mind at the moment. What was that white-haired brat thinking? Had he really turned off his power?  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes. He searched Malfoy's expression. His cold, unwavering eyes, his pale cheeks, his perfect nose, his lips... Harry inwardly smirked and he pictured himself kissing them. Malfoy twitched, and Harry's inward smirk came out onto his face.  
  
"I knew it. You're a liar."  
  
Malfoy shrugged and watched Harry stand up off of the bed and walk to his own bed. Harry lied down and stared at the ceiling with his arms rested behind his head. Harry tried to make his mind blank, but it was no use. Thoughts just flooded into his head all the more, so Harry just pretended to build a mental block, and glanced at Malfoy to see if it worked.  
  
Malfoy was smirking at him. Guess not.  
  
Harry sighed in frustration and looked up at the ceiling. Stop reading my mind! Harry said to Malfoy. Harry rolled over and gave Malfoy the butt, and Harry had a feeling that Malfoy was taking that the perverted way. Well, he was too, wasn't he? Stop it!  
  
Malfoy laughed from his bed.   
  
"Seriously, Malfoy, quit it!"  
  
"But I all ready know all of your deepest darkest secrets," Malfoy said. "Even in your sleep you think these sorts of things. I stay up half the night listening to you think about You-Know-Who, about wanting to live with that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, about Weasley's crush on Granger."  
  
"You wouldn't dare," Harry said, rolling over to glare at Malfoy, but Malfoy merely went on.  
  
"And some of the dreams are just... wrong."  
  
Harry blushed, knowing exactly what dreams Malfoy meant.  
  
"And then there are the dreams with books eating you," Malfoy smirked.   
  
"Shut up," Harry said. He buried his head into his pillow in embarrassment. He hoped with all of his heart that Malfoy hadn't found something out too bad, especially something that Harry himself didn't know. He could use that against him.  
  
"Good idea."  
  
Harry gave Malfoy a long, colorful string of mental curses. Malfoy merely smirked, but then his smirk faded.   
  
"Do you want to know a secret about yourself?" Malfoy asked.   
  
"What?" Harry sighed.  
  
Malfoy smirked again, and for a second Harry thought that he wasn't going to tell him a thing, but then Malfoy asked, "Are you sure you want to know?"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and nodded.  
  
Malfoy shrugged. "I warned you." He stood up off of the bed and climbed into Harry's bed. A familiar warning flashed across Harry's mind, but Malfoy shook his head and said, "I wouldn't dare, not to get kicked out of school."  
  
Instead, Malfoy rested his head down on Harry's shoulder and muttered into his ear, "Go to sleep."  
  
Harry looked at Malfoy in confusion.   
  
"Go to sleep. That's the secret that you wanted to know. You want to sleep with me - and not in the perverted way."  
  
Harry blinked and began to sit up, but Malfoy reached across and forced him back down on the bed. "Seriously, just go to sleep," and before Harry could even think twice, Malfoy had fallen fast asleep. Harry supposed that Malfoy was exhausted because he was reading so many minds lately, his own mind for one.   
  
So Harry rested back, put an arm around Malfoy's back, and went fast to sleep. 


	7. Epilogue: Freedom from the Fiery Hells

Epilogue: Freedom from the Fiery Hells  
  
  
"I knew it wasn't a good idea," Harry sighed as Malfoy and he walked away from the anger-filled infirmary. Both of them were finally free to go, but that didn't mean they were free from the fiery hells of detention. They had both been given detention for a week for sleeping in the same bed. It seemed that teenage boys weren't the only ones with dirty minds.  
  
Malfoy nodded. "Yeah, well, I guess this is the end of the line," he said. Harry knew exactly what he meant. Their 'friendship' was to an end. Sure, they liked each other enough, though they still got on each other's nerves, but they still had their reputations and their other friends to worry about. It was no use, they needed to leave each other.  
  
"See you around, Potter," Malfoy said as he walked off to the left and towards the dungeons.  
  
"Bye, Malfoy," Harry said.  
  
+ + + +   
  
Freedom from the fiery hells was nothing like Harry had thought it would be. It took a few weeks before everyone stopped clobbering him when they asked whether he was gay too. Not only that, but everyone wanted to know what had happened between Malfoy and Harry in the infirmary.   
  
Neither said a word about it.  
  
Everything went back to the way it was. The Three Amazing Friends, both Slytherin and Gryffindor, started to roam the hallways again. They went back to their gossip, their friendships, their meals, their freedom...  
  
Somehow, it wasn't the same for Harry. Crazy as it sounded, but Harry half wished to be back in that white, boring infirmary with Malfoy. Harry was positive that it was NOT love... but still... Okay, fine... He'll admit to himself that he liked Malfoy more than he had before the infirmary incident... Harry made sure that he went nowhere near Malfoy after he admitted that to himself. You know, just in case Malfoy happened to accidentally read Harry's mind.  
  
But he had seemingly forgotten about a certain week's worth of detention. He and Malfoy were scheduled to go back to the infirmary every night of the week to clean up after Madam Pomfrey and the patients there.   
  
To keep this a PG rating, I'll just leave it at that. 


End file.
